Film Noir-- Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s.


Iconic Figures:
-hard boiled private investigator
-femme fatale
-the thug/gangster/gunman

Narrative:
-plot twists
-unstable alliances
-questionable motivations
-shifting perspectives

Themes:
-moral ambiguity
-a certain hopelessness
-sexuality
-ends justify the means
-isolation
-greed and corruption

Imagery:
-chiaroscuro (use of light and dark)
-unpredictable violence
-seedy urban settings